Shifting Perspectives: A World of Endless Possibilities

Have you seen Pixar’s short film titled “Loop”? It came out on Disney + back in January 2020. In this short film a young lady with autism navigates the world around her. She also teaches her acquaintance that not everything in this world is as it seems. Sometimes if we just slow down and accept someone for who they are, we can find the most amazing person standing before us.

Not only does Marcus, the young man, learn that Renee communicates in non-traditional means, he also learns that she is so much more. She has interests and likes just as everyone in this world does. She teaches him what a glimpse into her world is like. Together they slow down to discover the sounds and touch of Renee’s world. He finds out how she communicates her needs. Marcus learns all this because he has patience and a willingness to try something new.

How many of us miss out on some fabulous people and experiences because we lack patience? Will we like each new person who comes into our lives? Absolutely not. But if we don’t have patience and approach a person with an attempt to understand, we immediately get lost in judgement. When we go to judgement first we may miss out on some amazing people. The same goes for experiences.

I am a person who greatly dislikes change. But, unfortunately, life is full of change. From day to day activities to the very people in your life, it can all change. Certainly change is difficult for everyone. However, it can be especially difficult for those we support. For a person with an intellectual disability and/or autism, routine and structure often can help make sense of the world. When change occurs it can topple that understanding and make the world a scary place. While we can’t make fear and change go away, we can try to shift our perspective to a place of understanding and patience.

“Loop” is a fantastic way to start that conversation. Both characters learn from each other in various ways. It is the willingness to slow down, have patience, and look at another’s perspective that makes this world and the film an amazing ride. People with intellectual disabilities can teach us about the world, sometimes at a greater capacity than others. In shifting perspectives we are asked to slow down and put ourselves in someone else’s world. Can you do it? Will you try?